The present invention relates to a therapeutic pillow, and particularly to a pillow which prevents and relieves pain associated with the sacro-iliac joint as well as the lumbar spine area.
Numerous attempts have been made to provide a pad or cushion-like structure for engaging or supporting a person's lower back to alleviate pain. Such devices have traditionally been placed under a person's midsection when sleeping on one's stomach, or near the lower spine area when sleeping on one's back. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,591 to Anders Jr. discloses an orthopedic appliance and method for changing the angular relationship of an individual's longitudinal axis of the lower lumbar spine to the longitudinal axis of the femorae. The device has an upper surface having first and second portions which are angularly disposed to one another to support the hips in the described angular relationship when the person is lying prone over the device. While this device does serve to elevate the lower spine, the device can be the source of other pain or discomfort, due to the shape of the device, which is substantially arc-shaped in cross-section. This type of device tends to be uncomfortable or even painful due to the apparatus gathering or bunching up, and causing the application of localized pressure at the peak of the arc. Furthermore this device is not capable of applying gentle pressure to the back at the hip bone/pelvis region to alleviate pain associated with the sacro-iliac joint. Nor are any of the known devices designed to support and align the spine when a person is lying on his or her side, as opposed to the stomach or back.
Various other devices have been proposed which serve as anti-roll devices during sleep, i.e., to confine or support an adult or infant while sleeping. These devices generally consist of spaced pads or cushions connected by a sheet or connecting member. The pads and connectors take various forms, including triangular, rounded, partially conical, cylindrical, wedge-like, and even slings. See, for example: U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,730 to Sher; U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,669 to Neviaser; U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,772 to Clute; U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,828 to Alivizatos; U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,187 to Mombrinie; U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,282 to Bond; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,856 to Ruff. These devices generally make no provision for support of the lower spine. Also, the spaced pads serve no therapeutic function--they merely restrain the person from rolling out of the device.
Therefore, a need exists for a pillow which is not only comfortable, but which also is capable of supporting one's spine when a person is lying on the stomach or when lying on the side. In addition to performing these aforementioned functions, a need also exists for a pillow which is designed to apply pressure to the sacro-iliac joint and thereby reduce or eliminate pain associated with that region of the lower back.